This invention relates to article wrapping apparatus, particularly for wrapping or folding a wrapper blank around an article which may comprise or contain a group of rod-like articles such as cigarettes. The article to be wrapped may typically be parallelepipedal in shape. The product of the wrapping apparatus may be a fully or partially wrapped package containing the article. The article may comprise a group of articles.
Cigarettes are commonly packaged in groups which are first wrapped in wrapping material and then enclosed in cardboard packages, such as the well-known hinged lid packs. Large numbers of such packages are commonly formed in modern factories, and the machinery for producing such packages must therefore have the capability of working reliably at high speeds.
According to a first aspect, the present invention provides article wrapping apparatus in which a blank is formed around an article, particularly for folding a wrapper portion protruding from a partially wrapped article, comprising a holder which is adapted to support the article on at least two opposite sides, so that a wrapper portion protrudes from at least one end of the holder lying in a plane, the holder being pivotally mounted about an axis which is parallel to said plane, and at least one abutment means, whereby pivoting of the holder towards the abutment means causes said wrapper portion to be swept into a closed position adjacent an end of the article in said holder.
In one embodiment of the invention, the holder consists of a housing comprising a generally U-shaped body which encloses two sides and one end of the article, the pivot point being positioned in the region of the said one end and a single abutment member being provided adjacent the opposite end.
In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of such closure devices are spaced around the periphery of a rotary drum, and are arranged to receive an article comprising a wrapped group of cigarettes from a coaxially mounted delivery device. For example, this may be a plunger mechanism of the type shown at the output side of the rotary apparatus described in our International application no. PCT GB97/03398.
Preferably, the pivoting movement of the housing is so arranged that the article can be swivelled through 180xc2x0, to a second, axially displaced position on the drum to enable a further folding process to be carried out, for example by means of a plunger mechanism which transports the article outwardly in a radial direction relative to the drum, i.e. parallel to the pivot axis. Preferably, before the article is moved to the second position, an inner packaging member, which may comprise an inner frame if the article is a group of cigarettes to be packaged in a hinged lid pack, is placed on top of the article, and is held in position, during the radial movement of the article, by means of a counter plunger positioned radially outwardly of the second position.
Preferably, the arrangement is such that the outward movement of the plunger mechanism then causes the sides of the inner frame to be folded down, by engagement with a static inner frame former and the wrapped bundle is then received in a further pivotable holder, which is arranged to surround the package on all four sides, and is also pivotally movable so as to enable the wrapped bundle to be transferred to a further axially displaced position on the drum.
Preferably, the inner frame former is also arranged to engage with the remaining protruding flap of the wrapper, so as to close that at the same time as the inner frame is folded down.
Preferably, the further axially displaced position to which the article is transferred comprises a packet forming station, at which a cardboard blank is folded around the article, by means of a further plunging action.
Preferably, the packet forming station comprises a further plunger/counter plunger arrangement, whereby a packet blank is positioned above a forming pocket containing an upwardly movable plunger, and the article is positioned on the blank, with a counter-plunger being positioned above the bundle. The four sides of the package are then folded around the article, by a sequence of movements of the plungers and the lower former, as follows:
(a) bringing the upper counter plunger down to contact the top surface of the article;
(b) bringing the forming pocket upwards so that its edges engage the underside of the blank at the position of the folds which are to be formed;
(c) raising the forming pocket so as to fold the sides of the blank around the edges of the housing;
(d) lowering the supporting plunger, the counter plunger, and the forming pocket until the package is released from the upper housing.
Another aspect of the invention extends to article wrapping apparatus in which a blank is formed around an article, comprising an article holder having at least one open side, and a former which forms a cooperating pocket facing said open side into which the holder can be received, and means for bringing the holder and former pocket together, whereby, in use, an article is positioned in the holder and a blank is positioned between the holder and the former pocket, so that when the holder and the former pocket are brought together, the blank is folded by cooperation of adjacent edges of the holder and former pocket. Thus the sides and ends of the blank may be simultaneously folded by cooperation of adjacent holder and pocket edges. Preferably, the holder and the pocket are both provided with plungers for engaging the article and the blank respectively, so that after the initial folding movement, the holder plunger can be extended towards the pocket, while the pocket plunger simultaneously retracts, so as to move the article from the holder into the pocket.
Preferably, the package is then moved to successive further positions, to enable the remainder of the package to be closed around the bundle.
A preferred embodiment of the invention therefore provides an article wrapping apparatus, comprising a plurality of package forming stations spaced around the periphery of a rotary drum, each comprising a first position comprising a pivotally mounted holder for a partially wrapped article, whose movement is arranged to cause inward folding of two protruding corners and one flap at the trailing end of the wrapper; a second, axially displaced position, at which a remaining flap of the wrapper is closed, and an inner frame is folded around the sides, by means of a radial plunging movement; and a third, further axially disposed position, at which a cardboard blank is wrapped around the sides of the package, by means of a further radial plunging movement. Preferably, the package is moved between the successive positions, by rotating holder at each of the first and second positions, through 180xc2x0, about parallel axes which extend radially of the drum, the plane of rotation of the second holder being radially displaced, relative to that of the first holder, with a radially movable plunger mechanism arranged to transfer the bundle from the first holder to the second holder whilst they are in radially superimposed positions.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided article wrapping apparatus in which a blank is formed around an article, comprising a transfer mechanism for articles which are to be processed at different axial positions on the periphery of a rotatable drum, comprising at least one holder which is pivotally mounted on an axis which extends radially of the drum, the holder being arranged to receive an article in a first position, and being pivotable about said axis to a second, axially displaced position.
Preferably, in the axially displaced position, a radially movable transport mechanism is also provided so that the article can then be transferred in a direction radial to the drum, for example into a further pivotally mounted holder having an opening which faces in a radial direction, and which is radially aligned with a corresponding opening in the first holder in the transfer position, so that the further holder can then be pivoted to a second position so as to transfer the article to a further axially displaced processing station.
A further aspect of the invention provides article wrapping apparatus in which a blank is formed around an article, comprising a holder which is pivotally mounted to enable an article to be transferred between different process stations, at least one of the process stations further comprising means for carrying out an operation to fold a blank around the article during transfer of the article to or from the holder. For example the folding operations may be carried out by moving the article into or out of the holder in a direction parallel to the pivot axis, so that flaps extending from the article are folded by cooperation with the holder itself, or with adjacent abutment means, during the movement.
The various aspects of the invention may be combined in any combination or sub-combination in common apparatus.